Saigon Corner Asian Bistro

The last of the Oakfield Drive bistros, Saigon Corner Asian Bistro, is straight across the street from the Tower Diagnostic Imaging Center near Kings Ave.. There is a cluster of four very different cafe style eateries within an easy stones throw of each other, at Corner St. and Oakfield Dr. This particular one is more specifically located at 518 Oakfield Dr., Brandon, FL 33511.

Easy to remember hours of operation.

Closest to the corner of Corner St.

The menu offers a wide variety of Vietnamese dishes (numbered of course) with chicken, meat (beef or pork), seafood (shrimp or "fish") and veggies, including tofu. They also have a very interesting selection of drinks and desserts like Bubble Teas (with flavors of Taro, Honey Dew, Red Bean and several others), Tropical Smoothies (Soursop or Durian), Fresh Squeezed Lemonade, Fresh Young Coconut Juice, Soy Bean Drink and more. There are only two desserts listed, Honey Fried Pineapple and Fried Banana Ice Cream. 

If you are into spicy you have come to the right place. Five of the nine "Specials" are marked with that little red pepper thingy and each entree area has at least one spicy dish warning as well. Just in case your dish is not hot enough, there is a large bottle of hot sauce at each table.

Like many of the area restaurants they have worked hard to find an identity by choosing the best days and hours to satisfy their customers dining patterns. Currently they are open 7 days a week.

HOURS:

M-TH 11:00am - 8:00pm

F-SA 11:00am - 9:00pm

S 12:00am - 6:00pm

FEATURES: Inside dining only and an aquarium to look at. Seating in the dining area is not cramped and the decor is pleasantly understated. About a dozen tables.

Hot sauce and Hoisin for a flavor boost if needed 

We splurged and started with an Appetizer. It was a "must do" because they had Erin's favorite, Krabmeat (sic) Rangoon (#4), Wonton skins filled with krabmeat and cheese. Like the quality of the Salsa is the measure of a good Mexican Restaurant for me, this appetizer is Erin's measure of a good Asian Eatery.

When the appetizer order came there were six fried wanton pockets surrounding a small bowl of  dipping sauce. Fresh from the kitchen, they were light and crunchy on the outside with a warm creamy filling. I didn't get much crab flavor but Erin said they were the best she's had in this area. I liked them too, so thumbs up on this one. No pic, sorry.

For her main course Erin ordered #23. Honey Chicken, Crispy chicken in a sweet and tangy honey sauce, with a side of steamed rice. The generous portion of chicken was served on a bed of crispy rice noodles. In a couple of places, where the meat and the plate were not separated by the noodles, the honey sauce fused to the plate, but thats what honey will do.

Honey Chicken

I decided to go spicy and alternative (for me) ordering #45. Ma Po Tofu, simmered silken tofu served with chef's special sauce and a side of steamed rice. As you can see below I received a very big bowl full of hot spicy broth, vegetables and tofu, with a sprig of fresh parsley to garnish. The broth had a rich texture and the dish ate like a stew. Adding in a bit of steamed rice as I took a spoonful made each bite very satisfying and the heat from the red peppers permeated the gravy.

Ma Po Tofu

Both dishes were more than either of us could eat in one sitting, especially after downing the appetizer. I should mention I also had some hot tea with my lunch. Turns out it was a nice Jasmine flavored tea. Thats special.

On our standard scale of YUCK to SUPER we rate this place Super minus. Nice change of pace.

Lunch with tip $30.43, but that included an appetizer and a pot of hot tea. (Did I mention it was Jasmine?)

Sumatra Bistro Cafe & Bakery

Back to Oakfield this week. Sumatra Bistro Cafe & Bakery, http://www.sumatrabistro.com/sbcafe/, 1602 Oakfield Dr. 33511, is at the west end of the street where it dives abruptly into Lakewood Dr. This place is touted by everyone as a comfortable setting with a friendly helpful staff and great food, so our expectations were high.

"Why the name Sumatra," we asked? "Well Sumatra is an island nation in the Indonesian Sea," replied our server. "Yes but why is the cafe named Sumatra," we clarified? "Oh, it's the kind of coffee we serve," she said. I gave up at that point not really knowing what kind of response I was fishing for, but realizing I was not going to land a trophy answer on this day. However, she was very cordial, helpful with the menu selections and patient with our questions.

Signage most visible from Oakfield.

Hours: (seem to be adjustable as they try to find the "pocket". Different times from different postings and they had a sign out front for "dinner" hours on Friday and Saturday.)
Mon-Thu: 11am - 4pm
Fri: 9am - 9pm
Sat: 9am - 9pm
Sun: 10am - 3pm

and another...
Hours:
Mon-Thu: 7am - 7pm
Fri: 7am - 9pm
Sat: 9am - 9pm
Sun: 10am - 3pm

and another...

Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 4 pm
Fri 11 am - 9 pm
Sat 9 am - 9 pm
Sun 9 am - 4 pm
Check on Facebook. There is a running clock that shows if they are open or not.

Features: Free Wi-Fi, dog friendly outside seating on a red brick patio. (We saw some people on the patio but no dogs.)

Sweet treats on display in the counter cases.

The menu features breakfast and lunch dishes (separate dinner menu available) with ingredients that are fresh, natural, organic and locally grown. Vegetarian options are available but there are also plenty of meat-a-tarian dishes to satisfy your inner carnivore as well.

The Breakfast menu offers a nice selection of items from lighter fruit and yogurt to breakfast sandwiches, omelets and more. Salads, Panini, Soups, Sandwiches & Wraps round out the lunch listings. Dinner is a week to week variable depending on the availability of ingredients.

Mural gives a sense of depth to the cozy cafe atmosphere.

We got there at about 1:00PM so we were locked on the lunch side of the menu.

Erin ordered the Sumatra Signature Panini, cheddar cheese, tuscan roasted turkey, applewood smoked bacon, fresh avocado on press-baked flatbread and served with the homemade spicy aioli dipping sauce. A small side salad with their Sumatra special vinaigrette dressing was included.
She got a Mango Iced Tea, to drink.
The sandwich was pressed to perfection. Crispy flatbread on the outside and warm flavorful meats and melted cheese with avocado on the inside. It was nice to have the spicy sauce on the side to make it a diner's decision as to how much is enough.

Erin is ready to start on her Sumatra Signature Panini

I got the "Perfect Lunch Combination" consisting of a cup of any homemade soup and a half portion of any Salad, Panini, Sandwich or Wrap. The soup was the Cream of Mushroom Brie and I decided on the Sumatra Vegetarian Pinini, fresh spinach, tomatoes and a hummus-pesto served with falafel and cucumber yogurt dipping sauce. A small side salad with their Sumatra special vinaigrette dressing was also included with my lunch.

Soup and Sumatra Vegetarian Panini for me. I already ate the soup so no pic.

The soup was thick and creamy rich tasting with plenty of flavorful mushroom slices (not just chopped stems). Very nice and a cup was plenty.

I liked that the Panini sandwich had it's own round flatbread and was not just a half portion of some shared creation, if that makes any sense. As you can see above, I added a dollop of the dipping sauce (tzatziki) to the sandwich before taking a bite. That may have been a mistake. After carefully closing up the sandwich and slowly lifting it to my mouth, I started to take a bite and out squirted some of the fixings, splat on my plate!

I didn't look, but I think I could feel Erin's eyes rolling, that "I can't take him anywhere kind of auto-response". My first thought was that I was grateful it went directly on the plate and, after checking the white t-shirt I was wearing, I was then grateful that it didn't cast a wide splatter pattern (CSI phrase I think).

I must have added too much dipping sauce directly on the spinach leaves or the hummus-pesto was also the consistency of a sauce and it was just too much sauciness for the thin flatbread to contain. Of course the tzatziki was intended as a dip not a spread. It said as much on the menu.

Anyway, I proceeded to eat the very tasty and moist sandwich much more carefully and finished without further incident. The flatbread was a little too greasy feeling to me.

Little did I know the panini would make such a splash.

On our YUCK TO SUPER scale I would rate it a Super minus, with a special note that I will definitely go back again.

Lunch for two was about $28 with tip. A little pricy but there was plenty-o-meal and the cost of fuel and premium ingredients has forced many restaurants to adjust their menus to make up some of the difference.

Neighborhood Bistro

We decided to venture a short distance from the immediate Brandon Regional Hospital zone and go east on State Road 60 a couple of miles. We set our sights on the Neighborhood Bistro, at 905 East Brandon Blvd., Brandon, Fl. 33511.


If you are buzzing down the road (and everybody east bound does, as a choked up "downtown Brandon Rt. 60" opens up to the promise of wider lanes and fewer stoplights on your way to the country) you might easily miss this little treasure of a spot. It is a place with personality. Their logo is the outline of a family tree.


It is set back and slightly downhill at the short end of a smallish strip mall, partially hidden behind a small stand of oak trees and dwarfed by the allure of the Racetrack gas station, Walmart Super Center and all the other more immediate curb side neons crammed together to catch your eye on the north side of the boulevard.


The one thing that might catch your attention on the right (south) side of the road is the offset small town façades that differentiate the businesses sharing the building. Another good landmark is a side street, Glendale Dr. This is actually the best entrance for the west side of the parking lot closest to the bistro.

Standing right in front and it is still slightly shielded by the oak.

Hours: TU - F, 11am - 8pm; SA, 9am - 5pm; SU, 10am - 3pm
FEATURES: FREE WI-FI and a bit of outside seating


This is a family owned independent restaurant that prides itself on local sourcing of ingredients and homemade finished products delivered fresh to your table. Chef Michael was very friendly and welcoming as we studied the chalkboard menu, then stepped up to the counter to place our orders.


We were both thinking of ordering the half sandwich and soup or salad combo and were slightly disappointed to see the soup of the day erased from the board. Michael told us the soup was Pasta Fagioli, but it sold out very quickly today. We were a little late, getting there close to 2PM, so that was bad on our part I suppose. (Note to self, on soup days get there early or no soup for you!)


Erin ordered the Chicken Salad Croissant Sandwich with a Blue Cheese Chopped Salad and an Iced Tea. She loved it all. The chicken salad was not too mayo-nasey and not too dry. The croissant was very fresh and light tasting, but held together quite well. The chopped salad had plenty of pecans, cheese and dressing in good proportion to the greens.


I ordered a Muffaletta Sandwich with a Spring Salad. I was very satisfied with my choices as well. I would have liked a little more of the olive salad on the sandwich, but then that may have overpowered the taste of the other ingredients. The salad had a nice strawberry vinaigrette dressing on it. Chef Michael explained that he had recently switched from pear to strawberry thinking that the pear was more a fall fruit thus not fitting for a spring salad. He also commented about the nice hint of radish he added because he just likes the crunch and punch of a good radish on the mix. (He is really into it!)


Since our visit some of the family from the north ended up there and everyone raved about each and every thing they ordered. I think it's the kind of place you can go to and know you will not be disappointed (unless you are too late for soup).


On the YUCK TO SUPER scale I would rate it a Super minus. A touch more olive salad on the muffaletta sandwich and enough soup for all. I am getting so picky aren't I? But if I give out a full SUPER rating we have to stop going on these trips, me thinks.


Lunch ran us about $17* and change. (Michael was nice enough to ask if I fit the "senior discount" age criteria. Often one has to drag it out of the person at the register.)


*I think it was a 10% deal for old dad.